Page 77 - ITU Journal, Future and evolving technologies - Volume 1 (2020), Issue 1, Inaugural issue

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ITU Journal on Future and Evolving Technologies, Volume 1 (2020), Issue 1

agation within a space, in every physical domain, i.e.,
for any physical material property and corresponding
information-carrying wave. For instance, control over
the equivalent RLC parameters of an electric load con-
trols the power that can be delivered to it by an EM
wave. Moreover, the presented software is a mature
prototype platform for the development of IoMMT ap-
plications. This constitutes a major leap towards a new
research direction. On the other hand, other research
directions have proposed and explored the Internet of
NanoThings [9]. Although similarly named, these direc-
tions are not related to the IoMMT, as they are about
embedding nano-sized computers into materials in order
to augment the penetration level of applications (e.g.,
sense structural, temperature, humidity changes within
a material, rather than just over it, etc.), and not to
control the energy propagation within them.
The remainder of this paper is organized as follows,
devoting a section to each of the principal contribu-
tions of our work. In Section 2 we provide the related
work overview and the necessary prerequisite knowledge
(a) Conceptual IoMMT deployment within a smart home.
for networked metamaterial. In Section 3 we present
the architecture for integrating the IoMMT in exist-
ing Software-Deﬁned Networks (SDNs) and systems. In
Section 4 we present the novel metamaterial API, and
Section 5 follows with the description of the Metamate-
rial Middleware and its assorted workﬂows. In Section 6
we present the implemented version of the software for
the EM metamaterial case, along with a description of
the employed evaluation test bed. Finally, novel real-
istic applications enabled with our new paradigm are
discussed in Section 7, and we conclude the paper in
Section 8.

(b) Conceptual IoMMT deployment within single products. 2. PREREQUISITES AND RELATED
WORK
Fig. 3 – Envisioned applications of the IoMMT in smart houses
and products. Metamaterials are simple structures that are created by
periodically repeating a basic structure, called a cell or a
its architecture and interoperability with existing
meta-atom [3]. Some examples across physical domains
network infrastructures.
are shown in Fig. 4. The planar (2D) assemblies of meta-
We deﬁne two novel categories of software: the atoms, known as metasurfaces, are of particular interest
Metamaterial API and the Metamaterial Middle- currently [10,11]. For instance, EM are currently heav-
ware, which enable any software developer to in- ily investigated by the electromagnetic/high-frequency
teract with a set of networked metamaterials, in community, for novel communications, sensing and en-
a physics-agnostic manner. We establish the data ergy applications. [12–14].
models, workﬂows, and test bed processes re- A notable trait of metamaterials is that they are sim-
quired for proﬁling and, subsequently, componetiz- ple structures and, therefore, there exists a variety of
ing metamaterials. techniques for generally low-cost and scalable produc-
tion [3]. The techniques such as printed circuit broads,
We present an implemented and experimentally ﬂexible materials such as Kapton, 3D printing, Large
veriﬁed version of the metamaterial API and the Area Electronics, bio-skins and microﬂuidics have been
Metamaterial Middleware for the EM case. successfully employed for manufacturing [3].
In each physical domain, a properly conﬁgured metama-
We highlight promising, new applications empow-
terial has the capacity to steer and focus an incoming
ered by the featured IoMMT concept.
energy wave towards an arbitrary direction or even com-
In this aspect, the potential of our IoMMT paradigm pletely absorb the impinging power. In the EM case this
is the ﬁrst to oﬀer true control over the energy prop- capability can be exploited for advanced wireless com-

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